Duração do aleitamento materno total e fatores associados numa coorte de crianças menores de dois anos residentes em João pessoa- PB

Abstract

Breastfeeding is the number one practice for improve baby's health by promoting the proper growth and development of the child. Despite being a natural process, breastfeeding is influenced by several external factors, such as cultural, psychosocial, economic factors, number of pregnancies, income and the mother's dietary pattern. Although there are a large number of studies on the prevalence and importance of breastfeeding, few demonstrate and elucidate the factors that determine the success or failure of this practice, especially up to two years or more. This study aims to identify and evaluate the determinants of breastfeeding in a cohort of children with birth to the second year of life living in João Pessoa-PB. It is a followup study, a retrospective cohort involving the mother-child binomials still recruited in the maternity ward. Survival analysis was performed to estimate the median time of breastfeeding and the exposed and unexposed groups were defined at the end of the study according to the characteristics observed at four months. Comparisons between survival curves were made using the log-rank test and a multiple cox model was constructed. The median duration of total breastfeeding was 15 months and showed a relation to the total duration of breastfeeding, schooling, maternal nutritional status , The early introduction of formula, milk and porridge. In the multiple model only the early introduction of formula and milk remained in the model with HR of 2.48 (95% CI: 1.54 - 3.98) and 1.70 (95% CI: 1.06-2.72) respectively. Early introduction of infant formula and other milks were independent predictors of decreased breastfeeding time and can be used as an important indicator for timely measures to promote breastfeeding up to two years of life of the child or more.